The present invention relates to an improved dihedral wing having a self-induced camber portion.
Dihedral wings have been employed for a long period of time and have both taken many forms and been adapted to various uses. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,235 discloses a dihedral kite wing and U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,763 discloses a dihedral model aircraft wing.
Related wing structures (although not dihedral in configuration) are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,793,870; 3,768,823; 3,924,870; 4,136,631; 4,186,680 and 4,473,022 which disclose various forms of hand-held sail structures designed for the propulsion of a person. Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,784,524; 2,896,370; 2,932,124; 3,246,425; 3,943,657; 3,949,519; and 4,458,442 are each directed to various types of toy glider wings.
However, one disadvantage with respect to such known prior art wings is the desire to enhance the lift characteristics of the wing without disadvantageously increasing the mass or weight of the wing. It has also not heretofore been possible to provide such increased lift by means of a camber portion at the leading edge of the wing without the necessity for prestressed structural members within the wing itself. The presence of such members undesirably increases the weight of the wing while also enhancing the possibility of damage to that portion of the wing upon forceful impact.